Another potentially expensive problem surfaced for Mick McCarthy at the weekend as he assessed his dwindling options for the Republic of Ireland's four end-of-season games.

Within minutes of being informed that Kenny Cunningham had departed prematurely from Wimbledon's 2-2 draw with Aston Villa, McCarthy learned that Niall Quinn is also struggling to prove his fitness for the May 30th meeting with Scotland at Lansdowne Road and the three American tour fixtures against Mexico, the US and South Africa.

Like Cunningham, the Sunderland striker was in the wars during Saturday's Premiership programme, hobbling off before half-time as they fought successfully to protect a 1-0 lead against West Ham.

After having treatment yesterday on a sore knee, which kept him out of Ireland's recent game against Greece, he was optimistic about his chances of making the US tour. Given his oft repeated commitment to turn up for work at every available opportunity, that is scarcely surprising. Quinn, who hopes to negotiate a new contract with Sunderland during the close season, will continue to have treatment this week and believes that he will be in a position to reassure McCarthy before he names his squad next week.

The manager will certainly hope that he can, for with Tony Cascarino retired and Keith O'Neill and David Connolly both unavailable, he could end up searching for a partner for Robbie Keane in the front line.

Even if Quinn is available, it is likely that the manager will decide to include the young Tottenham player Gary Doherty in his travel party. And McCarthy is also pointing up the ability of utility man, Rory Delap to fill the target man role.

The difficulty here is that Delap's versatility is also being viewed as a solution to the problem of finding a right back if Cunningham joins Steve Staunton, Ian Harte and Alan Maybury on the list of unavailable full backs.

Curtis Fleming of Middlesbrough is another who could do a useful job at number two but for the moment, at least, McCarthy is unfazed about the prospect of losing two more of his senior players.

"I was in touch with Kenny on Sunday and while he was still in some discomfort, he is upbeat about his chances of coming to join us," he said. "There is still a fortnight to go to the Scotland game but before that, of course, the player has a big job to do for Wimbledon is their last game of the season at Southampton.

"I haven't yet spoken with Niall but in a way, that's encouraging. I'm sure if his problem was serious enough he would have been in contact with me by now."

Other tour news is that Lee Carsley will not be available because of renewed problems with a foot injury which kept him out of Blackburn's team for eight weeks at a crucial stage of their season.

As yet, however, there is no definitive word on whether Roy Keane will lead the team for the final segment of the World Cup preparations. Keane indicated some time ago that he would be available but as yet, he has not been in contact with the manager to confirm it.

The player is currently recovering from a damaged hamstring and Alex Ferguson would almost certainly prefer him to rest, rather than risk aggravating the damage by going to America. In the final analysis, however, that decision is likely to be made by the player.

With Staunton definitely out of contention and doubts over Quinn and Cunningham, two other players who have captained the team in the past, Keane's absence would present McCarthy with an additional problem in choosing a tour leader.

The players selected, will assemble two days before the joint testimonial game for Staunton and Cascarino in which Liverpool provide the opposition for an Ireland X1 at Lansdowne Road on Sunday, May 21st.

They will return to their homes immediately after the game, before reassembling the following Saturday for the meeting with Scotland three days later. They leave for the United States on June 1st.

Jack Charlton, who celebrated his 65th birthday yesterday, will be one of the guests of honour at the gala testimonial dinner for Denis Irwin at the Burlington hotel in Dublin next Monday evening.

The dinner will be attended by several of Irwin's Manchester United team-mates who will then take part in a celebrity golf outing at Luttrellstown the following day.